It was late autumn, and another heavy rain fell.

The air was filled with a dampness, and the streets were shrouded in mist, like clouds and smoke, with a slight chill in the air.

A magnificent carriage with a high canopy sped by, its wheels splashing through the puddles, creating ripples.

"Chongyang, go faster!" A youthful voice came from inside the carriage.

The driver nodded in agreement and raised his whip high.

The carriage curtains fluttered, and the blood-red sunset shone into the boy's amber eyes, which were tinged with a hint of anger.

Those old fogies in the Censorate actually dared to impeach him, which resulted in him being severely punished by the emperor with thirty strokes of the cane and confined for a month!

He's the number one playboy in Kyoto, always the one bullying others, never one to swallow his pride like this.

Sure enough, as soon as his confinement was lifted, he came looking for someone to settle scores with.

——

Xishi Fangkou.

On the high platform, a female slave, her hands and feet bound, huddled up trembling, a straw tag stuck in her hair, like a piece of merchandise being selected.

Shen Jintang was the most inconspicuous of the female slaves. Her hunched back was faintly visible through her thin linen clothes, and she was so thin that she was just skin and bones.

She looked around indifferently, her eyes filled with lifelessness.

The slave trader glanced at Shen Jintang, spat, and cursed inwardly, "A worthless piece of trash!"

Shen Jintang sold herself out of her own pocket. She said, "Buy me for a hundred thousand coins, and I guarantee you'll make a fortune."

At that time, the slave trader, whether drunk or blind, actually gave her a string of cash.

But now, let alone making big money, he's lucky if he doesn't lose money.

After all, given Shen Jintang's current condition, it's questionable whether she could even be raised if bought, let alone served as a servant. What fool would buy her?

As the people around him were bought one by one, the slave trader's gaze toward Shen Jintang grew increasingly fierce.

If he can't sell them today, he'll just slit his throat and throw him into a mass grave, so as not to waste his food.

But Shen Jintang was not in a hurry at all, gazing indifferently into the distance, as if waiting for someone.

Time passed by, and all sorts of people walked past Shen Jintang, shaking their heads and leaving without exception.

The blood-red sunset hung in the sky, and the earth seemed to be draped in a mournful red veil.

"Fifty taels, and the person, I'll take him."

Suddenly, a clear, cold voice rang out.

Fifty taels is no small sum.

The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young man dressed in light blue clothes standing not far away, as straight as a bamboo shoot.

The slave trader sized him up, a question forming in his mind, as if he were trying to figure out the man's identity.

As the saying goes, "Clothes make the man," and although the young man had a straight posture and an extraordinary demeanor, the clothes he wore were quite simple and frugal, unlike those of a nobleman.

Fifty taels of silver? Are they just playing a trick on him?

Before the slave trader could speak, he suddenly heard someone around him make a sound.

"Isn't that Shen Huaixu, the son of Grand Tutor Shen, who became the fourth-rank Imperial Censor at a young age?"

Upon hearing this, the slave trader immediately fell silent.

Grand Tutor, Imperial Censor—either of these titles would be far beyond the reach of an ordinary commoner like him.

With such a distinguished status, it's natural that they wouldn't owe even a few taels of silver.

Upon thinking of this, the slave trader immediately adopted a fawning expression.

"Please wait a moment, sir, I will bring the person to you right away."

The slave trader wiped his hands on his clothes, pulled Shen Jintang out from among the female slaves, and respectfully handed the rope binding Shen Jintang's hands to Shen Huaixu.

"Sir, the person is here. I'll go get your indenture."

Shen Huaixu frowned as he looked at the hemp rope.

If it weren't for cleaning up the mess left by his hypocritical father, he would never have dared to come to a place like this, even once.

"Brother."

Shen Jintang raised her head, her dirty little face revealing no expression, only her clear black and white eyes staring straight at him.

Shen Huaixu's lips pursed slightly, and a hint of displeasure showed between his brows.

Shen Jintang, however, parted her lips slightly, the corners of her lips curving upwards, forming a faint smile that flashed in her eyes.

Displeased?

It's right to be unhappy!

No one would be happy to suddenly have a younger sister, especially since this sister might affect their career.

Shen Jintang is the illegitimate daughter of Shen Huaixu, that beast in human clothing, born in the countryside.

Three months ago, her village was struck by disaster, her family was wiped out, and she came to Kyoto alone to search for her relatives.

For an orphan girl to travel thousands of miles to Kyoto was nothing short of a pipe dream.

But who could have imagined that half a month ago, she actually found the Grand Tutor's Mansion.

However, instead of seeing Grand Tutor Shen, he was sold to this slave market.

This originally had little to do with Shen Huaixu, except that his father was the Grand Tutor of the court, and was known for his integrity.

If it were discovered that Grand Tutor Shen had an illegitimate daughter of unknown origin, his reputation would be ruined, and his career would be over.

Therefore, Shen Jintang knew that Shen Huaixu had come to take her life.

But how could she just sit and wait to die?

Shen Huaixu did not respond to Shen Jintang's address of "elder brother," but instead frowned and was about to pull the rope.

"Whoosh—"

Suddenly, a sound of wind breaking was heard.

An arrow shot straight toward his wrist.

"Pfft—"

Even though he tried his best to dodge, the arrow still pierced his flesh.

Shen Huaixu groaned, a sharp pain shooting through his hand, and the rope fell to the ground.

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